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'Looney Tunes' meets Tarantino in 'Harley Quinn' series

Roller derby, pet rescues and hanging out with one's "bestie" seem like strangely ordinary situations for a comic-book femme fatale. Considering it's the nutty Harley Quinn, though, all bets are off for normalcy.

Roller derby, pet rescues and hanging out with one's "bestie" seem like strangely ordinary situations for a comic-book femme fatale. Considering it's the delightfully nutty Harley Quinn, though, the norm is almost destined to become the oddball.

One of Gotham City's craziest residents — and that's saying something — makes the move to New York City for the new series Harley Quinn, written by the husband-and-wife team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner and illustrated by newcomer Chad Hardin.

"Even though it's still fairly early, it is beginning to look like Looney Tunes meets a Quentin Tarantino movie," says Conner, an artist as well who's doing covers for the series.

For those who've been stuck in an asylum for 20 or so years, Harley was first Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a noted psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who fell in love with the Joker, developed some mental issues of her own and became a fan favorite among Batman's rogues' gallery.

One of her former patients at Arkham has died and left her a Coney Island apartment building. That combined with the Joker leaving a bomb that blew up most of her worldly possessions send Harley packing, with a talking stuffed beaver and a dachshund in tow.

The team books she's currently featured in — Suicide Squad and Injustice: Gods Among Us — cover a lot of ground, so Palmiotti's focusing on Harley's "day-to-day madness" primarily, he says. "This will be the Harley book that you really have no idea what is coming next, something I personally enjoy in a title."

Last month's zero issue introduced both the tone of the series as well as many artists' takes on the character. Hardin was introduced then and brings "beautiful" art but the comedic timing essential for the comic, says Conner.

Palmiotti enjoys Hardin's visualization of "the madness we give him" and also working with his wife. "We write the book while eating, driving, out socializing and so on. Harley is always on our minds and the world around is always giving us ideas."

Out Wednesday, Harley Quinn No. 1 settles Harley into her new life and the freaky folks who are now part of it in and around her building, and then move into crazy situations that will test her problem-solving skills.

Palmiotti wanted to make the issue one where the uninitiated could jump on to the book but also establish "the battlegrounds of her life" for the hardcore fans.

"Issue 1 is a great introduction and then issues 2 and on, we go nuts," Palmiotti says.

People from Harley's past will be showing up — including Poison Ivy, the aforementioned "bestie" — but Conner teases that they are introducing her new neighbors "and someone who is going to try to use her to his own ends."

Adds Palmiotti: "Issue 4 we introduce a character that will make you question your very sanity."

The series will follow Harley as she tries to transition "from murderous psychopath to normal, everyday girl, and I think the fun of these situations will be to see how wildly unsuccessful she is at doing this," Conner says.

"She has many personalities, so there is a lot to explore for sure," Palmiotti admits. "I don't think she would be a very good bank teller, but on the other hand, she would make an excellent zookeeper."

Similarly, Palmiotti and Conner also put a different kind of spin on Power Girl a few years ago, but this time they're interested in the reaction of the rabid Harley fan base to what they have cooked up.

"Whenever you take such a beloved character on, you put a big bull's-eye on yourself," Palmiotti says. "People are very passionate about Harley, and I hope the fans see that the entire team is, as well.